By the 1940s and 1950s blues had become very popular in clubs and bars all around the country. Blues was also beginning to incorporate the sound of electronic, amplified instruments, mainly the guitar, and figures such as T-Bone Walker and B.B. King pioneered this newer form of electric blues. T-Bone Walker especially, was known for developing a heavier sound where he cranked the amplifier to the point of the sound beganning to clip, creating a dirtier, distorted tone which is now synonymous with blues guitar. During this period, New Orleans and Chicago were instrumental to furthering the sound of blues, producing many blues recordings that were important progenitors to pop, R&B, and rock and roll styles. New Orleans blues was more polished sounding and commonly used piano, guitar, and saxophone.
- Henry Sheppard
- August 30, 2022
- 12:38 pm